Security Council Urged to Denounce Israeli Aggressions Against Syria

Iran’s mission to the United Nations called on the Security Council to condemn Israel’s ongoing aggressions and terrorist attacks against Syria, referring to the regime’s actions as violation of international law.

“Israeli regime’s repeated violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its systematic and intentional targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure … are a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter,” Saeed Iravani, the Islamic Republic's permanent ambassador to the UN, said in an address to the Security Council on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

He also underlined Iran’s acknowledgement of the Syrian Arab Republic’s legitimate right to self-defense as per the UN Charter and international law.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

A number of Iranian military advisors, who are in Syria at the request of Damascus, have also been killed in Israeli operations, including a colonel who lost his life last week in a terrorist bombing near the Syrian capital.

Iravani also stressed the need for security and stability in the north of Syria, saying it can only be achieved by preserving and fully respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

“Any military operation in the north of Syria would only make the already challenging humanitarian situation even worse,” he said, in reference to Turkey’s imminent ground operations in the area to combat Kurdish militants.

Humanitarian Situation

The UN ambassador later pointed to the “dire” humanitarian situation in Syria, commending the UN and its agencies for efforts to provide humanitarian relief to those in need.

He stressed, however, that the ongoing unilateral coercive measures imposed by western countries have exacerbated the humanitarian situation despite UN efforts.

“The UN and its humanitarian organizations' work in Syria is also impacted by these illegal actions,” he said.

Donor countries also remain hesitant to contribute to the necessary funding for Syria's humanitarian response plan, which, according to the UN report, has not exceeded 42 %, he added.

The Syrian government has been under a series of economic sanctions and restrictions imposed by the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the Arab League, as well as other countries, over what they call the repression of civilians in the Syrian civil war from 2011 onwards.

Iravani also reiterated the Islamic Republic’s condemnation of the robbery of Syrian people's natural resources, particularly oil products, in areas occupied by foreign forces.

“This criminal act is an obvious violation of Syrian territorial sovereignty, relevant Security Council resolutions, and the UN Charter,” he said.

US-led military forces, which intervened in Syria’s civil war in 2011, have illegitimately remained in the country, and have been constantly accused of plundering Syria’s energy and agricultural resources.

Astana Format

The Iranian diplomat later expressed Tehran’s support for convening the next meeting of the Constitutional Committee, noting that its ongoing work is critical to reaching a political solution.

“The cessation of the occupation and the full restoration of respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic are prerequisites to any political solution,” he said.

Along this line, he added, the Astana peace process, led by Iran, Russia and Turkey as guarantor states, will also continue its efforts to bring the crisis to an end and alleviate the sufferings of the Syrian people.

In the latest Astana format summit, that was held in in the Kazak capital on Nov. 22-23, senior representatives of guarantor states emphasized the Constitutional Committee's critical role, according to Iravani.

They also reaffirmed their willingness to support ongoing interactions between their members and the UN Special Envoy as a facilitator in order to ensure long-term stability and effective work of the next sessions of the Committee.

“The international community must support the Syrian government’s ability to achieve economic and social stability, as well as improve the living conditions of the Syrian people,” the ambassador said.

He underscored that a secure, stable, and prosperous Syria benefits the Syrian people and is in the interests of the region, and the international community.

“Iran continues to support the people and Government of Syria in their efforts to restore the unity and territorial integrity of their country.”